WE ARE GOING HOME

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And Marshall is as happy as we are about this 🙂

The doctor here confirmed the presence of Marshall’s spleen.  And stated that from what she saw in the blood work, his spleen appears to be functioning even if it is enlarged.  

His cough has increased in frequency but decreased in ferocity (no more gagging, vomiting, wrenching etc).  His doctor here said it could last another week or two.  And he still is fever free.

So WE ARE BUSTING OUT OF THIS JOINT!!! 

Reminder: (in case you momentarily forgot like I did) He’s a fighter

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Marshall stood up in my lap tonight.

In front of his grandma, dad, step gramps, and me.

No one reminded him he is only two months old.  In fact, I looked down at him and asked him if his next trick would be walking.

He was furious that a gas bubble was trapped in his tummy.  So while yelling at the top of his lungs, he arched his back, planted his feet into my legs and stood up. (Yes I was holding him against my chest and supporting him some but he stood on his own).

As for how he is doing, he is still pretty sleepy.  He needs the oxygen a little less today than he did last night.  His oxygen levels are still ping pong-y but not like last night.

His cough is pretty terrible to hear, let alone watch.  And he has a little wheeze tonight.

His heart got quite stressed during the respiratory screw up this afternoon but seems to have recovered. 

His appetite is a little down but his output is good. 

And so we wait… and watch…and hope like hell they set us free tomorrow…

The care is good but too much of this place is still too much. 

Dr Infectious Disease

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Hey world, I could have prevented what Marshall is going through.

I said it. 

And I won’t ever forget it. 

Dr Infectious Disease stopped by to confirm it.  He lectured me on the importance if immunizations as I was nursing my sick son.  If I had known…

Yes that moment has landed on the list of Top 20 Most Awkward Moments of My Life. Right behind The Close Shave (a story I will include in Marshall’s book.)  I am all too well aware of the dangers of going forward with immunizations.  And I am also all too well aware of the dangers of not going forward with the immunizations.

Either way, we have one shot here.

Anyway,  had Marshall gotten the Synagis, he likely would have been ok from the germs which invaded the wild boys. The lack of Synagis opened the door into Marshall’s system and the germs made themselves at home. 

And, even more, the shot could have lessened the germs’ hold on our little man.

So we are here. 

My entire body aches from working so hard to keep him comfortable.  Like any sick little one, he just wants his mama.  And his mama just wants him to kick RSV and the secondary viral pneumonia.  

Dr Infectious Disease insists Marshall will likely get RSV again because once you’ve had it, you’re more susceptible.  And he stated that almost all heart babies get it (with 75% usually hospitalized.)

So our little man is a number because of my…I don’t even know what to call this one…

And to make matters worse, our little man suffered because of a respiratory screw up which could have easily landed me in jail if I had not had the grace to just walk away to clear my heavy, heavy heart. (The details of that will also be in the book because I haven’t the strength to revisit it.)

Wherever you are, whatever you are doing, please send our miracle some strong healing thoughts.   I will send them back tenfold. ♥

And if you are with my big wild boys at any point soon, let ’em know I miss them so but love them more!

And still Marshall sleeps

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And I still just hold him.

His breathing has improved. His oxygen levels are not as bouncy.  His cough has lessened in frequency but gathered in ferocity.  

He still has oxygen but not as often.

He had an ultrasound around 1:30 a.m.  He has a spleen.
And it is enlarged.

His appetite isn’t 100%.
Still no fever.

And I’m waiting for Dr Friedman’s call as to what we do next. 

Michael & I want to get him home tomorrow. 

Asleep on my chest

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It sounds like Marshall will be here a little while.  His oxygen levels are all over. In fact, they are bouncing like a just dropped bag of ping pong balls.

He has a sporadic, nasty, nasty cough.

Right now he is ok with an oxygen boost of “free air.”  And he is still fever free.

Thankfully he is doing ok for now.

I convinced two docs to give more antibiotics if he needs them (as our double barrel attack if things turn) but I begged them to otherwise treat him as a normal kid.

And yes, I gave them the “he is a normal kid with an extraordinary heart” routine.

Boston also called to check on our little miracle. Dr Friedman emailed to let me know how they would treat him.

I’m thinking Boston is too far away and we may need to do something about that soon.

All of us are waiting to see how he does tonight. He will have an ultrasound in the morning to hopefully once and for all determine the presence or absence of spleen.

I am as thankful as I am tired.  All four of my boys are sleeping soundly, even if we can’t be together tonight.  And I can’t thank the people who have stayed with the big wild boys so I could be here with our littlest wild boy. 

Whew.  What. A. Day.